Aircraft hold with deployable bench to accommodate baggage stowage

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an aircraft hold intended to accommodate baggage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In an aircraft intended for the transport of passengers, the passengers carry a portion of their baggage along with them in the cabin of the aircraft, while the bulkier and heavier baggage travels in the hold. The latter baggage is transported to the aircraft with the aid of conveyors or on towed carts. There are conveyors making it possible to transport baggage up to the door of the hold of the aircraft. Placement inside the hold usually is performed manually. An operator grasps the bag arriving in the hold and goes to put it inside the latter. These operations for placing baggage in the hold are laborious. The hold is a relatively cramped space in which most of the time it is not possible to stand upright. Furthermore, certain bags can be heavy. Going to place the first bags at the back of the hold during loading of the baggage or else, during unloading of the baggage, going to look for the bags located at the back of the hold in order to remove them, is the most difficult.

All these difficulties in arranging the bags in the hold and in removing them therefrom make the time for loading and unloading of the passengers' baggage relatively long. The passengers, after getting off the aircraft, then have to wait for their baggage in the air terminal. For this reason, many passengers prefer to carry their bags, even some relatively bulky ones, along with them in the cabin, rather than have them travel in the hold.

To encourage the passengers to have their baggage travel in the hold, and to free up the cabin space, thus making it possible to enhance the comfort of the passengers during their trip and on boarding/deplaning, it is advisable to limit the waiting time for retrieval of the baggage having traveled in the hold.

Another difficulty is the placement of the baggage in the hold. Here it is advisable to plan for sufficient space in the hold to accommodate the baggage of all the passengers traveling on board the aircraft.

The document EP-0 233 739 relates to a multi-purpose extension for a pallet. There it concerns a device intended to be assembled on a pallet, itself intended to be positioned in a hold or a cargo airplane. This extension makes it possible to fit the shape of the wall of the hold and of the load transported.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,412 discloses folding seats intended to be arranged along the side walls of a hold of a cargo airplane.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,720 also relates to the transport of passengers—military personnel—in a cargo airplane. This document discloses, in particular, seats offering an enhanced safety for the passengers in the event of an accident, in comparison, for example, with the seats disclosed in the document U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,412.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention then has as its purpose to provide a device making it possible to facilitate the task of the operators given the job of placing baggage in an aircraft hold and unloading this hold.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide means making it possible to unload the hold of an aircraft more rapidly in order to limit, or even eliminate, the waiting time for baggage when the passengers come to the air terminal upon their arrival.

Another purpose of the invention is to make it possible to optimize the loading of baggage in order to manage to store a greater number of bags in a hold.

To this end, this invention proposes an aircraft for the transport of passengers comprising a fuselage inside of which there extends a deck and a hold arranged under the said deck, the said hold comprising a floor having on the one hand a more or less level central part and on the other hand on each longitudinal edge of the central part each time a side part inclined in relation to the central part.

According to this invention, the hold comprises at least one bench having a seat movable between a position more or less parallel to the central part of the floor and a position folded back against a wall of the hold.

Such a bench can be used on the one hand to accommodate in seated position the operators who are handling the baggage, and on the other hand to accommodate baggage. In this way, the task of the operators is facilitated and furthermore it is possible to use the space situated above the inclined side parts of the floor to stack baggage, which is difficult to accomplish without a more or less horizontal base.

In an aircraft hold according to the invention, the benches can be assembled on vertical side walls of the hold, but each bench preferably is assembled on an inclined part of the floor of the hold, to make best use of the space in the hold.

An embodiment variant provides that the seat of the bench can be folded back in a position more or less parallel to the inclined part of the floor.

For a greater modularity of the hold, in order to be able to modify the distribution of the space reserved for containers and that reserved for baggage in the hold, each bench is divided so as to be able to deploy or to fold back bench seat portions independently of each other.

According to another advantageous form of this invention, each bench comprises a base forming, for example, a wall more or less perpendicular to the seat and extending from a longitudinal edge of the seat to the floor when the seat is in its deployed position more or less parallel to the central part of the floor, and the base advantageously is movable from its deployed position perpendicular to the seat to a folded-back position more or less parallel to a wall of the hold. This base, in its deployed position, then can connect the edge of the seat to the corresponding joining of the central part of the floor with an inclined part of this floor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base is articulated with a footrest which, in the retracted position of the bench, is accommodated against the inclined side part of the floor and which, in the deployed position of the bench, comes to partially cover the central part of the floor.

This invention furthermore relates to an aircraft comprising a hold, characterized in that the hold is a hold such as described above.

Details and advantages of this invention will emerge more clearly from the description that follows, given with reference to the attached schematic drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows an aircraft hold according to this invention,

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a front view of the hold of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>,

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a schematic front view, on an enlarged-scale, of the hold of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, the left portion of this Figure partially showing the hold according to this invention during a baggage loading/unloading, and the right portion of this Figure shows the said hold during the positioning of a container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The description that follows is given with reference to an aircraft intended in particular for the transport of passengers. This aircraft comprises a fuselage inside of which there extends a deck. The deck extends more or less horizontally and divides the fuselage into two zones: a passenger cabin above the deck and a hold underneath same. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows a hold of such an aircraft.

A hold floor <b>2</b> is seen on this <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. This floor <b>2</b> is implemented in three parts: a more or less horizontal central part <b>4</b> and two raised side parts <b>6</b>, inclined in relation to the central part <b>4</b>. Of course, the references to horizontality and verticality in this description relate to the aircraft described when it is on the ground.

The hold also has more or less vertical side walls <b>8</b> that delimit the loading space of the hold. The ceiling of the latter is not visible here.

The hold shown on <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> comprises as access, on the one hand a baggage door <b>10</b> intended in particular for the loading and unloading of baggage <b>12</b> and on the other hand a container door <b>14</b>. The latter is of sufficient size to allow, for example, the passage of a standard type LD3 container <b>16</b>.

The hold shown on <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is equipped with a freight loading system, also known under the name of CLS (English abbreviations for Cargo Loading System). The latter is provided for the moving of containers <b>16</b> in the hold. These are loaded and unloaded through the container door <b>14</b>. The freight loading system comprises in particular rollers <b>18</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) on which the containers <b>16</b> moving in the hold come to slide. The rollers define a movement plane on which the containers <b>16</b> move. The latter are introduced into the hold through the container door <b>14</b> and pushed inside the hold. The freight loading system makes it possible to easily move the containers <b>16</b> toward the back of the hold in order to allow the introduction of other containers <b>16</b>. Locking systems, not shown, make it possible to keep the containers <b>16</b> at the back of the hold during a flight. Such loading and locking systems are known to the individual skilled in the art and are not described in greater detail here.

In the example of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, a container <b>16</b> is located at the back of the hold and the rest of the hold is intended to accommodate baggage <b>12</b>. For loading of the hold, the baggage <b>12</b> is introduced into the hold, for example, through the baggage door <b>10</b>. Innovative means then are provided for guiding this baggage <b>12</b> toward the back of the hold.

The means used here comprise two identical sets of conveyor belts <b>20</b>. The conveyor belts <b>20</b> of one set are aligned one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft on the central part <b>4</b> of the floor <b>2</b> of the hold. Between the two sets of conveyor belts <b>20</b> there is a row of rollers of the freight loading system.

These conveyor belts <b>20</b> each make it possible to move longitudinally in the hold of the aircraft one (or more) bags <b>12</b> placed thereon. A set of conveyor belts <b>20</b> thus makes it possible to move a bag <b>12</b> from the first conveyor belt located closest to the baggage door <b>10</b> to the last conveyor belt located at the other end of the set of conveyor belts, going from one conveyor belt <b>20</b> to the other.

It thus is provided to place the baggage <b>12</b> on the first conveyor belt of each of the sets of conveyor belts <b>20</b>. This baggage <b>12</b> then is guided to the back of the hold. An operator located then arranges the baggage that he receives to form a wall of baggage, as shown on <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. One operator per set of conveyor belts <b>20</b> preferably is provided.

In order to facilitate the task of the operators placing the baggage at the back of the hold, benches <b>22</b> are provided at the inclined side parts <b>6</b> of the floor <b>2</b>. These benches preferably are pliable so as not to hamper the passage of containers <b>16</b>. These benches <b>22</b> also can be used to support baggage <b>12</b>. As a matter of fact, instead of having the baggage <b>12</b> rest on the inclined parts of the floor <b>2</b> of the hold, this baggage is placed on benches <b>22</b> that preferably have a seat <b>26</b> more or less horizontal and parallel to the central part <b>4</b> of the floor <b>2</b> of the hold. In that way, the baggage stack created is more stable.

The conveyor belts <b>20</b> can be controlled individually. Thus on <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, the conveyor belt located farthest to the back of the hold of each set of conveyor belts and on which a wall of baggage <b>12</b> is located preferably is stopped. In this way, rubbing between the said conveyor belts and the baggage located at the bottom of the wall of baggage is avoided.

As the loading proceeds, the baggage forms walls of baggage. In order to secure this baggage and prevent it from falling over, it is provided to hang nets <b>24</b> crosswise in relation to the hold. These nets <b>24</b> preferably are rolled up on props <b>27</b> located at the side walls <b>8</b>. These props <b>27</b> connect the floor of a cabin located above the hold to a primary structure of the aircraft. On <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> there are seen sections of components (generally called “framework” or “frame”) of this primary structure on which the props <b>27</b> come to rest.

Each net <b>24</b> preferably is arranged at two props <b>27</b> corresponding to the same framework of the primary structure of the aircraft. A winding mechanism <b>28</b> then is mounted on the two corresponding props <b>27</b>. A slot implemented in the corresponding side wall <b>8</b> facing a prop <b>27</b> allows passage of the net <b>24</b>. A sheathing not shown is provided around the winding mechanism <b>28</b> to achieve watertightness around the latter and thus to ensure the continuity of the side wall. Each winding mechanism <b>28</b> accommodates, for example, a half-net. These half-nets then are pulled by the operators from each winding mechanism and meet at the center of the hold and are hooked to one another with the aid of hooks or other joining devices.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows the hold of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> in a front view. The separation between the two half-nets is seen in the center. On this Figure, the benches <b>22</b> are in their usage position. The seat <b>26</b> of each bench <b>22</b> is more or less horizontal or, expressed differently, more or less parallel to the central part <b>4</b> of the floor <b>2</b> of the hold. This seat <b>26</b> then is used on the one hand to allow the operator (or operators) handling the baggage to sit down, and on the other hand to accommodate baggage.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a front schematic view showing on one portion the conveying of a bag <b>12</b> and on the other portion the moving of a container <b>16</b>, for example a standard type LD3 container.

On the left portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, there are seen in particular a conveyor belt <b>20</b>, rollers <b>18</b> of the freight loading system, a portion of the structure of the hold with its floor, as well as a retractable bench <b>22</b>.

The conveyor belt <b>20</b> here (on the left portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) is in its active position. The upper slack side of the belt is situated above the plane at which the moving of a container <b>16</b> takes place: this plane corresponds to the plane passing through the upper edges of the rollers <b>18</b> or else the bottom of a container <b>16</b> moving by rolling on these rollers <b>18</b> (cf. right portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>). The conveyor belt <b>20</b> then can transport a bag <b>12</b> without being hampered by the freight loading system of the hold.

On the left portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, it is seen that the bench <b>22</b> is in its usage position. It thus has a seat <b>26</b> more or less horizontal or, expressed differently, more or less parallel to the central part <b>4</b> of the floor <b>2</b> of the hold. The seat <b>26</b> extends from a side part <b>6</b> of the floor, near the corresponding side wall <b>8</b>, toward the center of the hold.

The bench <b>22</b> also comprises a base <b>30</b> that supports the seat <b>26</b>. This base <b>30</b> is a wall, solid or with an openwork design, that extends more or less vertically from the edge of the seat <b>26</b> opposite the side part <b>6</b> of the floor on which the seat is assembled, to the floor <b>2</b>, more or less at the joining between the central part <b>4</b> of the floor and the corresponding inclined side part <b>6</b>. In that way, the base <b>30</b> forms a wall for the space accommodating the baggage <b>12</b> and preventing the latter from sliding under the seat <b>26</b> where it then would be more difficult to access.

Finally, bench <b>22</b> comprises a footrest <b>32</b> which in the deployed position of the bench <b>22</b> becomes positioned on the floor at the central part <b>4</b> thereof (left portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) and which in the retracted position of the bench <b>22</b> comes to be accommodated along the inclined side part <b>6</b> of the floor (right portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>). This footrest <b>32</b> makes it possible to conceal and protect various elements of the freight loading system, such as, for example, locking means, guides, etc., against impacts and crushing. The fact of having a more or less level surface also makes it possible to limit the risks of stress for the baggage during loading thereof.

The seat <b>26</b> thus is assembled pivoting on the inclined side part <b>6</b> of the floor, in immediate proximity to the corresponding side wall <b>8</b>. A first hinge connects the seat <b>26</b> to the base <b>30</b> and a second hinge connects the base <b>30</b> with the footrest <b>32</b>.

As symbolized by three arrows on the right portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, in order to change over from the configuration on the left of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> to that on the right of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the conveyor belts <b>20</b> are lowered, the rollers <b>18</b> are moved and the bench <b>22</b> is retracted. In order to retract the bench <b>22</b>, the footrest <b>32</b> comes to be slid under the seat <b>26</b>. In this movement, the footrest <b>32</b> comes to slide along the inclined side part <b>6</b> of the floor, bringing about on the one hand the pivoting of the base <b>30</b> in relation to the footrest <b>32</b>, and on the other hand the pivoting of the seat <b>26</b> in relation to the base <b>30</b>.

It is seen that this bench <b>22</b> is stable in its retracted as well as deployed position. A simple locking therefore is sufficient for holding it in these two positions.

On the right portion of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the conveyor belts <b>20</b> are inactive and the rollers <b>18</b> of the freight loading system are used for the movement of an LD3 type container <b>16</b>. As for the bench <b>22</b>, it is retracted. The base <b>30</b> is articulated in relation to the floor <b>2</b> and becomes folded back along the corresponding inclined side part <b>6</b>, while the seat <b>26</b> becomes folded back over the top of the base <b>30</b> and thus also is situated more or less parallel to the corresponding side part <b>6</b>.

The conveyor belts <b>20</b> here are in their lowered position. The upper slack side of these belts is situated below the plane of movement defined above. The container <b>16</b> can pass without being hampered by the conveyor belts <b>20</b>. The conveyor belts <b>20</b> also assume this position when they are supporting a wall of baggage <b>12</b>. The construction of these conveyor belts <b>20</b> makes it possible for them to carry a considerable load, and solid supports on the primary structure of the aircraft are provided to accommodate each conveyor belt <b>20</b> in its lowered position.

The bench <b>22</b> here is retracted in order not to hamper passage of the container <b>16</b>. This bench <b>22</b> is not useful during loading or unloading of the containers <b>16</b>. It therefore is not bothersome since it is folded back.

For a better modularity of the hold, that is, in order to allow the hold to accommodate a variable number of containers <b>16</b> and to adapt the space to accommodate baggage <b>12</b>, it is advantageous that the length of a conveyor belt <b>20</b>, or more precisely the distance between two conveyor belts <b>20</b>, corresponds to the width of a container <b>16</b> adapted to the hold (the length of the conveyor belt <b>20</b> and the width of a container <b>16</b> are each measured in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft). Thus, when several containers <b>16</b> are loaded on board the hold, the conveyor belts <b>20</b> situated beneath the containers <b>16</b> remain in lowered position and the other conveyor belts <b>20</b> ensure conveyance of the baggage <b>12</b> up to the containers <b>16</b>.

Likewise, it preferably is provided that the bench <b>22</b> is divided into several portions of benches <b>22</b> on each side of the hold. Each portion of bench <b>22</b> can be deployed or folded back independently of the other portions of benches. Here also, measured in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, the length of a portion of bench <b>22</b> is a multiple of the width of a container <b>16</b>. Advantageously, a portion of bench has a length corresponding to double the width of a container <b>16</b>. In this way, the deployment and folding back of portions of benches <b>22</b> is accomplished more rapidly than for portions of benches the length of which might correspond to the width of a single container.

As emerges from the preceding description, the hold according to the invention is adapted for receiving only baggage or else also for accommodating baggage and containers at the same time. The hold according to the invention can take on a number of configurations. The number of containers carried along in the hold can be variable.

A hold such as described saves the personnel given the job of placing the passengers' baggage in the hold of the aircraft from carrying (or throwing) the baggage toward the back of the hold. The baggage can be transported by a belt or other means up to the hold, where it is guided—automatically—on the conveyor belts <b>20</b> toward the back of the hold. Operators at the back of the hold receive the bags and stack them up. As the loading progresses, the conveyor belts are lowered and stopped.

During this loading/unloading operation, the benches present in the hold allow the operators to work under better conditions, less laboriously and therefore more efficiently. The benches <b>22</b> advantageously are provided over the entire length of the hold intended to accommodate baggage <b>12</b>. In this way, the operators can choose the most appropriate place during loading and unloading and move in “continuous” manner according to the volume of baggage situated in the hold. This continuity of the benches also can be used when the seats of the benches are bearing baggage.

The benches in their deployed position also make possible a better utilization of the space in the hold intended for the placement of baggage, because the latter can be stacked up more easily to form walls of baggage.

The device according to the invention also makes it possible to save considerable time for the loading and unloading of baggage.

The benches proposed here have a limited additional weight for the aircraft. In that way, their mass does not disadvantage the overall mass of the aircraft too heavily.

Of course, this invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above by way of non-limitative example. It also relates to all the embodiment variants within the capacity of the individual skilled in the art in the context of the claims below.

Thus, for example, the benches used could be folded back differently. One could have, for example, a bench the seat of which is turned up and which, when the bench is not being used, is situated along a side wall (more or less vertical). The base likewise preferably is constituted by a wall that makes it possible to prevent baggage or other objects from sliding under the seat. Simple profiled legs—such as chair or table legs—could be considered, for example, to streamline the device.

Finally, this invention is described in combination with conveyor belts and holding nets. It also can find application in a hold of the prior art, not equipped with these innovative arrangements.